5 Top Home Security Apps

5 Top Home Security Apps

Your home is your castle, but keeping that castle secure requires more than a few locks and an outdated alarm system. Smartphone technology now enables us to monitor our homes remotely, from work, our holiday destination, or our trip to the shops.

There are tonnes of apps out there vying for first place in your home security system, but which are worth the time and effort? To help you pick out the best of the bunch, DMC Locksmiths have put together a guide of the latest and greatest apps that will help keep your home and family safe.

SecureHome

Want to be alerted if there’s an intruder in your home, but don’t want to spend thousands on the equipment? SecureHome hooks up to your Mac computer’s built-in microphone, or an external mike and listens out for any unwanted visitors while you’re out.

If someone does break in, your computer will send an email to your smartphone alerting you to the intruder and sound an alarm. With a Dropbox account, you can also stream video footage of wherever your computer is located.

The app does cost money, but it isn’t much and can do a lot to help keep your castle safe from unwanted visitors.

About to upgrade your contract and get a new phone? Keep hold of your old one. Sure, you migth get a small amount for selling it, but it has so many more uses if you keep it. One of which is to act as a security camera.

Presence is an app that allows you to turn your old phone into exactly that.

All you need to do is hook up the old device to your WIFI, download the app, and pair it to your new phone. Prop the old phone up in a room that you feel needs the added security and you can now keep an eye on it in real time. The app also works as a motion detector and will alert you when an intruder is detected.

It’s free too, so you can create a security system without any cost.

Presence is available on both IOS & Android, so whatever operating system your old phone runs, it’ll still work!

Canary

If you want a security system built for purpose, Canary is a great option. They sell a number of home security products, the best of which is Canary Flex. It’s an indoor/outdoor, weatherproof, HD camera that can be plugged in or used wirelessly. Attach it to the outside of your home to see who’s come a-knocking, place it in your garage with your car, or keep it in the corner of your living room to detect intruders.

Once you have set the camera up, you can download the app which will allow you to monitor your home. Canary can also offer up smart notifications when it detects something out of the ordinary.

Your front line of defence against home intruders is your doors lock. The August Smart Lock isn’t cheap, but it offers up plenty of functionality when making your home a safer place. It’s keyless and allows you to enter the property with your smartphone. As soon as the lock realises your close by, the door will unlock, letting you in. You can also unlock and lock the door from anywhere, providing you have an internet connection. Forgot to lock up on your way out? Not a problem. Got a delivery man dropping something off? You can open the door for him at work, on holiday, or wherever else you are.

It works via Bluetooth too, so if you aren’t hooked up to the internet, the door will still open if your phone is turned on.

iCam has been designed to allow remote security surveillance. Using your webcam and audio feeds, the app allows you to monitor rooms in your home. The best thing is that it can monitor up to 12 live video feeds, meaning that you can regularly check in on each room in your house.

It’s great for other uses too, including pet and baby monitoring. The app isn’t free, but it costs no more than your morning coffee and ensures that you can always have one eye on your home!